Q&A with Pastor Cole Phillips
CELEBRATING GOD’S FAITHFULNESS WITH THE CONNECTION CHURCH OF KYLE
We are excited to announce that The Connection Church of Kyle has paid off their Foundation loan! Pastor Cole Phillips shares the story of how their church trusted the Lord when an opportunity arose to buy a permanent home.
Q: What were the deciding factors that led The Connection Church to take a loan out from the Foundation, and how was the process for your church?
A: For years, we prayed that God would provide a permanent home for The Connection Church. When the opportunity came to purchase 11.5 acres in Buda, we knew it was a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Instead of waiting until we had every dollar in hand and risking losing the property, we believed God was opening a door for us to step forward in faith by taking out a loan.
Working with the Foundation gave us confidence because they understood this was a ministry investment, not just a financial transaction. From the beginning, the process was encouraging and relational. We felt like we had partners who shared our heart to see the Gospel advance.
Q: How have you seen God move?
A: We have watched God work in countless ways. Our church family rallied around a shared vision with remarkable generosity. New families joined the church and embraced the vision as their own. Many people gave sacrificially for the first time, and others experienced the joy of generosity in deeper ways than ever before.
One of the greatest miracles is that while we were raising money for the land, God continued to bless the ministry itself. We saw people come to Christ, hundreds of baptisms over the past few years, and lives transformed as the church continued to grow. We never wanted to become a church focused on buildings instead of people. God allowed us to pursue our mission and the future simultaneously.
When we celebrated paying off the land, it was a testimony to God’s faithfulness and the faithfulness of His people.
Q: What challenges has the church faced during this building project and how has God been faithful to provide during those times?
A: Like many churches, we navigated rising costs, changing economic conditions, and uncertainty about timing. Not everyone who started the journey with us was still there at the finish. We couldn’t always see the finish line ahead.
But every challenge was another chance to take God at His Word. Time after time He provided exactly what we needed through the generosity of His people, and unexpected blessings along the way. Looking back, it’s clear that God’s timing has always been better than our own.
Q: Where do you feel the church is being called to next? What project or vision do you see as The Connection Church’s next step?
A: Paying off the land was never the finish line. It was preparing us for the next chapter.
Our vision is to break ground on a permanent campus in Buda that will serve our rapidly growing community for generations to come. We see a place where children discover Christ, students find purpose, families grow stronger, people experience biblical community, and lives continue to be transformed by the Gospel.
Our mission has never changed: Connecting People to Jesus and One Another. This campus will give us a greater capacity to fulfill that mission for many years to come.
We are deeply grateful for the Foundation’s partnership. Their willingness to invest in churches like ours has made an eternal impact. Looking back, it’s amazing to see how God used this partnership to position our church for the future. We believe the best days of The Connection Church are still ahead, and we’re thankful the Foundation has been part of this story.
